Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 1.
Sards.
X. B. GRE EX,
Attorney & Counsellor at Law
Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia,
WILL practice, and give prompt attention to
all business confided to his professional
care, in the District Court at Marietta; The Su
preme Court of Georgia at Atlanta: Ihe Superi
or and Inferior Courts of the Blue Ridge Circuit,
and the counties adjoining Cobb, of other Circuits.
Special attention given to the collection o! debt’,
and the securing of all manner of claims.
Prompt and efficient attention will be given to
all manner of business in the Courts of Ordinary
in the county of Cobb and adjoining counties.
PHILLIPS & BITRKII ALTE R
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
Marietta, Georgia.
WILL practice in Fulton, Paulding and all the
counties of the Blue Ridge Circuit, in the
Supreme Court, and in the District Court at Alari-
WM. PHILLIPS, J- T. BURKHALTER.
Jan. 1. I?-
E. FAW.
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Marietta, Georgia.
WILL diligently attend to any business con
fided to°his care in the counties of Cobb,
Cheiokce, Milton and Paulding.
, CLAIMS collected as soon as it can be done by
law, and the money promptly paid over.
’Jan 20, 1861.
notice.
(lIB.CIJMSTANCES having prevented my re
j moving West as contemplated —I offer my
services to the public as ii Physician lor tnc ensu
ing year.
Office in Council's Building, up stair.-,
where I can be »bund at
w- H. HUNT,
ATTORNEY at lava
Marietta, Georgia.
e. m.'lßLlen\
Marietta. Georgia.
RATE!’! L io Hie citizens of Marietta and \ i-
M vinify lor a liberal patronage during the pa I
ten years is still prepared to perform all opera
tions cither for preserving the natural, <n in
ing artificial teeth, in the mo I approved manm r. «
He solicits calls irom those who have '•<>•*/ A.m
tecrA, os ho is using a preyar.ition lor tilling the
most delicate teeth, no matter h -w hi’ lly decayed,
if not otherwise diseased and ren icriug them
Serviceable for years. It i- ah. 11 the. ,-ini" color as
|.he te.e'h and will um. r ADIiL or di. ob.r th
\i'l . Refers to citizens of Marietta for v.iwr.i he
has operated during the past ten year ’.
Tianis —CASH, unle-s by special contract
Oflie,o South- ide of public .‘qniire. over the Post
Office. Marietta, Ga , Jan. 1,1861.
* DIL N. ST GOBER,
reform physician.
Marietta, Georgia.
OFFERS his services to the citizens of Mar'
ett? mid surrounding country.
Office North side of the square over Pa; c A Ha
ley’s Store. 1 eb 8, tt.
CICERO C. W INN,
COLLECTING LAWYER,
Marietta, Georgia.
-U »ZILL give his entire littenti ’n to the eolloe
' V tion of till claim entrust Ito his care.
March 9, '6O.
A. N. SI NIPSON,
ATTORNEY at l.f 1
Marietta, Georgia.
March 9, ’CO.
GEORGE N. LESTER,
ill
Marietta, Georgia.
WILT, practice in tlffi Blue Rid re Circuit, and
in the Supreme Court of the State ; also in
the District Court at Marict'.v. (Nov 2.">.)
_
F. NL MYERS,
attorney at eaw,
Mnrlcttn, RrorgQi.
Sss- Wil! attend to all business entm-te l to hi I
earc.
ierrm-M Denmcad A Wright, A. .1. Hau
Sell, Irwin A L-stc-, Marietta. Gem 1. IL> . Sol.
Cohen, an I S Yates Levy, Savanwa’i, Ga.
Nov. 23, tt.
PAVII> IRWIS, t:u EX! i t 111 IK.
IRWIN & BITLEIL
AttoriK'.vsai
MLaviot Oi. Gcorgiai.
B wain vs, confided to their pr.'fei-’ion i! manage
moot in the following counties will b ■ I' it.h
ly transacted, vi> ■ Cam; hell. Paul ling, P H. <’■ ; 'b.
Cherokee. Forsyth, l.etnpkih. Fid I Milton,
Abo in the. District Court .it Mari, t<. d <Su
preuie Court at Atlanta. ma 1.
ANDREW .».
Attorney, Counsellor & Solicitor,
Mnriet tn, G<‘<»ry;ia.
Practices regtdarlx in tl D
rietta. the Supnuiic Court vs G 'ic.i. a . . the
Superior Court- ■ f Uiot ii wing . w
Cobh, Forsyth. Flor L Cat ■ «. C . r \e •. P
ding. Whitfield au*l Milt hi. 11 - At ■ ■ . -
ly to M-i'iinn, a.i . ... . ?
adjoining counties.
Marietta. Jan. 1. 1861.
C. D. PHILLIPS,
Attorney and Counsellor at Law,
Marietta. tieorgln.
February 22 1862.
WAS.HIN G.T O N’. H ALL,
Ytlantn oEwiiiiiA
BY E. R. SASSEEN
The Marietta Semi-We y. hi ite.
(General gutaitfenndnU
FOUR HORSE COACH LINE
From Marietta to Cumming.
THE subscriber ha?, in the aboveline a splendid
Four Horse Conch, with excellent stock and
careful drivers,by which passengers are put through
in shorter time and with far greater convenience
than formerly. JE’Lry attention will be paid t
their comfort, and no exer lions spared to make this
line equal to any South.
This line connects w th Ihe A.& A. Railroad at
Marietta, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
for Cumming ; and return Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Satur lays : also connecting same days with
the Hack to and from Dahlonega.
1. N. IIEGGIE.
STILL AT THE
OLD STAND’
OOO
FKIHE undersiuned, thankful for past favors, is
g still manufacturing and repairing
CARRIAGES
A N I>
buggies
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION,
And No. 1
T I’o3l A?d AVsill
all of the Best Style and Finish,
All d all Wa r r anted.
Repairing done in all the branches, as hernto
fore. Al/ accounts due on enentation. Those in
debted will please come forward and settle.
Marietta, Jan. 1. HUMPHREY REID.
STAPLE ATTD FANCY
DRY GOODS.
J. J. NORTHCUTT, & CO.,
Klarlctila, Georgia,
g I AVE their full ply of Staple and Fancy
7) /i it n '/i 1?
LAVIItS <1-
SUPE R S O R SI!O E S J
together with a genera', assortment of articles,
ii li/cli thi' j arc eife inj on t l :' most J" roruble terms
t Or
TW* CASH !«$«
Cull and bo convinced. [mar 2S
~jakmon &'ca.'«"
excelsior Mills,
Marietta, Georgia.
rgNHIS French Burr Stone Mill, la elv put up in
jl McEllresh’s building near the railroad, runs
Every Wednesday and Saturday,
and makes the finest quality of Men' and Grist.
Coni Ground for Toll.
nuir'l
FAMILY STORE!
GROVES & BI TNER,
ggAVE opened in the Post Office Building, a
■ VARIETY family store-
in wbi h will befound every article in the Grocery
lire, liquors v xccpted, besides a great variety ot
•other articles. They "ill sell f r
I Cash ami Onfall I’roftls. C?a
If* yeti wan: good
COFFEE, TEA, SUGAR,
i '■! .4. Syrup, Tobm-co, Yar:. or. any thing in
that line, give us a call, and we warrant -ati.-fac
t >n. e will also keep
Foolscap and Letter Paper,
Pins, ’iik. ai :1 ct: < r i.iti i f Stationery.
CiH XTK Y PRODUCE
f 1 taker ‘n barter on liberal terms
july U. 18(5’1 ly
E 1 WWed.
■rjuxnnx- be pur ’.” '’ V th- M..:ie>t.i
£ I: iv. in K y -,’ir 1 tity. t-r w : :eh
I three (b een s v-e. f - t will be pie i. if delivered
alt! v.rd. .ING. H. GLOVER.
A. ISAACS,
Wholei-ali.' and retail Dealer hi
MilHnery’and Fancy Goods,
RIBBONS. F E ATI! E R S.
FLOWERS,
Ilea IDi - Embroideries. La es. Bl ndes,
Ru. Per oil ry, Ac., .U .
t oniw-llyIr« n Front Bttiidlng.
White Hall Street,
ATLANTA. GEORGIA.
MARIETTA, GA., TUESDAY MORNING MAY 7, 1861.
thwate.
3TAIMETTA, =• - MZA.Y »•
Presidents Message.
Gentlemen of the Congress
It is my pleasint? duty to announce to
; you that ilir Constitution framed for the es
tablishment of a permanent government forth e
Confederate States has been ratified by Con
ventions in each of those States to which it
was referred. To inaugiira e the govern
ment in its full proportions and upon its
own substantial basis of th? bop-'ilurwi l !. ic
only remains that elections should be iieid
for the designation ofthe officers to administer
it-
| " here is every reason to believe that,..at
no distant day other States indentified
in political principles and community of in
terest with those which you represent will
join this Confederacy; giving to its typical
constellaticii increased Mpr.d or—to its
government of free, equal and sovereign
States, a wider sphere of usefulness—and
to the friends of constitutional liberty a
greater security fur'its harmoninw and per
petual existence.
It was not, however, for the purpose of
making this announcement that 1 have deem
ed it my duty to convoke you at an earlier
day than that fixed by yourselves for your
meeting. The declaration of war made
against this Confederacy by Abraham Lin
coln, the President of the Unite ! States, in
his proclamation issued on the fifteenth day
of the present month, rendered it necessary
in my judgment that you should converge
at the earliest practicable moment, to de
vise the measures necessary for ’the defence
of the country.
The occasion is indeed an extraordinary
one. It justifies me in a brief review of
the relations heretofore existing between us
and the States which now unite in warfare
against us, ami in a succinct statement
of the events which have resulted in this
warfare to the en 1 that mankind may pass
intelligent and impartial judgment on its mo
tives and objects.
During the war wage 1 against Great Brit
ain by her colonies on this continent, a com
mon danger impelled to a close alliance, and
to the formation of a Confederation, by the
terms of which the colonies, styling them
selves States, entered “ scveralh/ into a firm
league of friendship with each other :
their common defence, the security of their
i liberties, and their mutual and geuaral wel
| faro, bln ling themseivs ti assist each other
against all force offered to Gr attacks made
upon them or any of them, on account of re
ligion. sovereignty, trade, er any other pre
tence whatever.”
Inorder to cruard against any misconstruc
tion ol their coinpa.ct, the several States inn 1c
explicit declaration, in a di fin 't ni tele, tat
State r</-iiiis ifs sovereignly, Ircoje.-n
and independence, and (werv power, jnri-'dic
tion and right, which is n it by this Cmdeder
e.rprcs.si 1/ J tot!'.' I nite.! Slates
in Congress assembled
Under this contract ot alliance, the war
of the revolution was successfully waged,
and resulted in the treaty of .peace with
Great Britain in 1783, by the forms of
which the several States were, e'n!< 0;/
name recognize 1 to bo in l'n m.lmt.
The articles of confederation c mfained
a clause whereby all alterations were pro
hibited unless confirmed by the Legislatures
of every Stales after being agreed to by
the Congress; and in obedience to this
provision under the rcs-ilutions of congrcs?
of the 21ist of Febuary. 17>7, the several
States appointed delegates who attended
a Convention “for the -o’-and expresspm-pa-e
of revising the articles <>f emife leraiioit, and
■ reporting to Congress and the several Leois
latures such alterations an 1 provi-ions the e
‘ in asshall, when agreed to in Congress, ati <
I ronjlnnrd l>y the. State, render the Fi deral
i Constitution adequate to the exigencies of
i government and thepreservatio i<4 th I t 1 a.
j It was, by the delegates chosen, by the
1 s.-v-’y-R? States, under the res dufi n just qu.-
1 te 1. that the Constitution of the United States
’ was framed in 1757. and submitted to the
1 >'.for ratitieation. as shewn l y th
7th article, which is in these words ;
" The ratification of the Couventioy s of nine
Slat- s shall*! e sitlli ient for the os‘al-1'- hmeut
*of this Uonrtitution between the 5' ' >■. sr>
' ratifying the same.’’
I have italiei« d certain w rds in the q:i- -
1 tation just ma le, for the j tnq .se of attraet
: ing attention to the singular and marked,
' eautn n with whieh the States • -h \
! every pi <sibie form, to exclude the i lea that
the separate and independent s- vereignty of
each State was merg. 1 int ■ ;.e comm i; g v
! ermneut and nation : and the earnest d sire
tl-cy evinced to impress on t’.c C ■nstitati-m
its true character —that fa •ar,-.u between
ihdep'.tident States.
The Constitution f 17'7 having, h w- ver.
omitted the clause already recited fr> m the
articles i f Confederatim. which nr vide ! in
explicit terms, that each State retained Its
sovereignty an-i independence, some alarm
was felt in ti e State" when invited to r..:':y
the Constitution, lest t'.is omission should
be construed into an abandonment of their
cherished principle and they refused to be
satisfied until amendments were added to ike.
Constitution, placing beyond any pretence o!
doubt, the reservation by the States of all
their sovereign rights and powers—not ex
pressly dele; a'ed to the United States by the
Constitution.
Snange indeed must it appear io the im
partial observer, but it is none the less true,
that a'l these carefully worded clauses proved
unavailing to prevent the rise and growth in
the Northern States of a political school
which has persistently claimed that the gov
ernment thus formed was not a compact be
tween States, but wms in effect a nadonal
government, set up above and over the States.
Au organization, created by the States to se
cure the blessings of liberty and indepen
deuce .against foreign aggrseyion, has been
uradually perverted into a machine for their
control in their domestic affairs: the creature
has been exalted above its creators ; the prin
cipals have been made Subordinate to the
agent appointed by themselves.
The people of the Southern States, whose
almost exclusive occupation was agriculture,
early perceived a tendency in the Northern
States to render the common government sub
servient to their own purposes, by imposirg
burthens on commerce as a protection to their
manufacturing and shipping interests. Long
and angry controversy grew out of these at
tempts, often successful, to benefit one sec
tion of the country at the expense of the
other. And the danger of disruption aris
ing from this cause was enhanced by the fact
that the Northern-population was increasing
by immigration and other causes in a greater
ratio than the population of the South. By
degrees as the Northern States gained pre
ponderance in the National Congress, sell
interest taught their people to yield ready’
assent to any plausible advocacy of their
right as a majority to govern the minority
wifht nt control: they learned to listen with
impatience to the suggestion of any constitu
tional intpedimoF.’ to the exercise of their
will ; and so utterly have the principles of the
constitution been corrupted in the Northern
mind, that in the inaugural address delivered
by President Lincoln in March last, he as
serts av an axiom which he plainly deems to
be undeniable, that the theory of the Consti
tution requires that in all eases the majority
shall govern ; and in an other memorable in
stance, the same Chief Magistrate did not
hesitate to liken the relations between a
r j (;i!c and »h» United States to those which
-t\v« ud. a b-biulv kA-mug >i*
it is situaled, and by which it was created.
This is the lamentable an 1 fund tiuenfal error
on which rests the policy that has culminated
in his declaration of war against those Con
federate States.
In addition to the long continued and
<lcep seated resentment felt by the Southern
States at the persistent a’ntse of the powers
they had deb gated to the Congress, fur the
purpose of enriching the manufacturing and
shipping classes of the North a* the expense
of the Smith, tl ere has existed for nearly
half a century another subject of discord,
involving interests of such transcendent mag
nitude, as at all times to create the appre
hension in the minds of many devoted lovers
of the Union, that its permanence was im
possible.
\Vhen Hie several St.ite, delogit*d certain
p.i wor-' l > the I niied States Congress, a large
portion of the laboring population consisted
of African slaves itnporti I into the c'lonics
by the inotii rc. uniry. in twelve out ol the
thirteen States, negro slavery cxisied. and the
right of pr ni rty in si,tecs was protected by
law. This’ property was re -ognized in the
Constitution, an 1 ]>r vi-ion was ma le against
its l >ps hv the escape of the slave. The in
crease in the number of slaves by further im
portation from Africa was also secured by a
clati'C fiiibiddihg Congress to prohibit the
slave trade anterior to a certain date: and
in no clause can there be found any delega
tion <>f p wcr to the Congress authorizing it
in any manner to legislate to the prejudice,
detriment or dis.-miragem ’it of the owners us
that "] •• us pr -p■ Tty, er •■x-duding it from
the r.roteetion of the government.
The climate and s »il < f the Northern State
-oon prove 1 unpropitious to the continuance
of slave lab r, whiLt the converse was the
case at the South. Under the unre-tri'ted
free intercourse between the two vtiors,
the N> rthern States consulted their -wu in
terest bv selling their slaves to the S nth,
and prohilating slavery within tU ir limits.
The South were willing purchasers of a pr -
p.'rty suitable t < their want", an I p aid the
price of the acqnLition with ut harboring a
-uqeei i. that their quiet pO"SP"-ion was to
be-msturl Iby H ■ ■ ’ • ■ ’ bit I, not
v : v con'tkmi -md uutL r. y, i ,t by go >d
faith vender". fr< m di- p’icting a title ern
tin"fr -m -fiemst ire-.
A ? • :i. h v.mvor, as the N rthern -
that t r Lil itc 1 As.: an ’ ' ry v tl. .r
limits 1.. dr- 1 d a number snifi ■!•:].' ' give
tl.cir rv: fi-n: ■ ntr-.li.ng inti:*
t and '
of ho tile arcs .;gm.. t t!:.t r.g .ts rs
.. -.vn rs ■ i -I v in thcY u .. ra ites was
. _ . tended. A c >n-
ilnu'U? scries of measures was <]<_■•> ised and
parj - fre ! ring
cure the tenon •..’pr-perty in .-l.tv---. Fana
tical orgat.iztiti'.-r.s. suurliol with m mey bv
vohurtary subscript!Mis, were assidut usly< :.-
gaged in cxciu ’ g amongst the t- ives a spirit
of discontent and revolt-; means were furnish
ed for their escape from their owners, and
agents secretly employed to entice them to ab
scond; the Constitutional provision for their
rendition to their owners was first evaded,
then openly denounced as a . iolation of con
scientious obligation and religious duty; men
were taught that it was a merit to e’ucfe dis
obey, and violently oppose the execution of
the laws enacted tn secure the pcTormaecei f
the promise contained in the Constitutional
compact; owners of slaves were mobbed and
even murdered in open day, solely for apply
ing to a magistrate for the arrest of a fugitive
slave; the dogmas of these voluntary organi
zations soon obtained control of of die Legis
lature of many of the Northern Strtes, and
laws were passed providing for the punish
ment by ruinous Lines and long continued
imprisonment in jails and penitentiaries. < f
citizens of the Southern States, who should
dare to ask aid of the officers of la w for the
rec >vcry of their property-. Emboldened by
success, the theatre of agitation and aggress
ion against the clearly expressed Constitution
al rights of the Southern States was transfer
ed to thcC’ongress Senatorsand Representativs
were sent to.the common councils of the na
tion, whose chief title to ihis distinction con
sisted in the display of a spirit cf nitre, fanat
icism, and whose business was, not “to pro
mote the general welfare or etw.ire domestic
tranquility,” but to awaken the bitterest ha
tred against the citizens of sister States by
violent denunciation cf their iirtituiions; the
transaction of public affairs was impeded by
repeated efforts to usurp powers not delega
ted by the Constitution, for the purpose of
impairing the security of property in slaves,
and reducing those States which held slaves
to a condition of inferiority. Finally, a great
party’ was organized for the purpose of ob
taining the administration of the Government,
with the avowed object of using its power for
the total exclusion of the slave States from
all participation in the benefits of the public
domain, acquired by all the St ites in common,
whether by conquest or purchase; ofsurround
ing them entirely by States in which slavery
should be prohibited; of thus rendering the
property in slaves so insecure as to be com
paratively Worthless, and thereby annihila
ting in effect property worth thousands of
millions of dollars. This party, thus orga
nized, succeeded in the month of Njx ember
last in the election of its candidate for the
Presidency of the united States.
' In the m>• iiilinir, under them.'M nmigcnial
'climate of the Southern States, and the in
-1 creasing care and attention for the being and
j comfort of the 1 iboring class, dictated alikji
’ by interest and humanity, the African slaves
! had augmentc i in number from about GOO,
! 000, at the adoption of" the Constitutional
; compact, to upwards of 1,000.000. In moral
I and social condition /they had been elevated
j from brutal .-usages into docile, intelligent and
' civilized agricultural laborers, and supplied
i not only with bodily comforts but with care
ful religion* instruction. Under the i-npei vi
.-ion of a-snperior race, their labor had been
so directed as not-only to allow a gradual ami
marked itmelioTartmn of their own condition,
but to eon vert liundredsot thou-andsol square
■ miles or the wilderness into cultivated lands,
' covered with a prot-perous people ; t owns and
I cities had sprung into existence, and had rap
! id! v increase 1 in we.ilthan l population under
j the social sv"trm of the South; the white
population f the Southern slavelmlding
States had augmented fmin about l,‘2o(>,000
at the date of the Constitution, to more than
I 8 oOIM'OO in and the production of
! the S nth in eotG.n, rice, sugar and tobacco
forth’ full development and continuance of
1 which tie labor of Afi ioan slaves w ts, and is,
. imli-qtcnsabjehad swollen toan amount which
fortni I nza/iv t!uee-f >urths of the exports of
the whole Unite! State", and had bee >me
al.sLitclv neces-niy to th > w fits of civilized
' man.
With interests of; •: ■!: cvcrvthelm’ng magni
tude imperilled, the people of the Southern
S ates were driven by the < iclm tof the
N rth to the adoption of some c mr.-c: of ac
tion to avert the danger with wiiich they
wore openly menaced. ilti tins view, the
I egisla ures t i the several State." invited tl
people to si b 1 delegates t-> Conventions to be
i held for the purpose of determining fi r them
"eb.es what measures were L -r adapt
!cd to meet alarming a crisis in their histc
i ry.
Here it may be proper to observe that from
■ a t ■ 1 i I as carl v as 17'J' there ha 1 existed in
' -'// of the States of the Union a party, alm -t
•, nintei rupti div in die majority, bas ed u] m
the creed th;.’ each .~:ate was. in the last re
sort, the sole judge : t well of it.-: wrongs, as
of the mode and measure of redress. Indeed
it is obvi' us, that u:. l?r the law of nations,
th!" [ i :nei| ’<■ i > an a::i >1:1 a > applied to the
r' Wi -ti - oend ’ .-ot ,?reign State-’, meh
had ited them Im
the itu A. l; I c impa.-t. The Democratic
r y if the United Stab a repeated inits fiuo-
■ -sfu'i e:inva-." <.f L the deelaruticumade
in numero is previous p litic-U contests, that
it would “ faithfaiiy abide brand uphold
the prlnci' lc" Im 1 d wn in the Kentucky and
A irgima rO' iutmns f 17'Ji, and in the re
port of Mr.Madi" >n to the A irginta Legisla
ture in 1799 ; and that it adopts th se pr.nci-
> pies as cons* ’httngono of the main founda
tions of its political cree l.
j The principle thus
embrace b that to which I have already adver
ted, the right cf each State to judga of, and
redrecs the wrongs of which it complains.—
These ’principles were maintained by over
whelming majorities of the people of all tho
States of the Union at different elections,
especially inthe elections of Mr. Jefferson in
1805, Mr. Madison 1809, and Mr. Fierce in
1852.
Tn the exercise of a right so ancient, sb
well established, and so necessary for self
preservation, the people of the Confederate
States in their Conventions, determined that
the wrongs which they had suffered, and the
evils with which they were menaced, required
that they should revoke the delegation of
powers to the Federal Government which
they had ratified in their several Conventions.
They consequently passed ordinances resum
ing all their rights as sovereign and inde
pendert States, and dissolved their connec
tion with the other States of the Union.
Having done this, they proceeded to form
a new compact among themselves, by new
articles of Confederation, which have been
also ratified by the several States with an ap
proach to unanimity far exceeding that of
the Conventions which adopted the Constitu
tion of 1787, They have organized their new
government in all its departments ; the func
tions o‘s the Executive, Legislative and Ju
dicial Magistrates arc performed in accord
ance with the will of the people as displayed,
not merely in a cheerful acquiescence, but in
the enthusiastic support of the Government
thus established by themselves; and but for
the interference of tho Government of the
United States in this legitimate exercise of
the right of a people to self-government,
peace, happiness and prosperity would now
smile on our land.
That peace is ardently desired by this Gov
ernment and people, has been manifested in
every possible form. Scarce had you assem
bled in February last, when, prior even to
the inauguration of the Chief Magistrate yoii
had elected, you passed a resolution express
ive of your desire for the appointment of com
missioners to be sent to the Government of the
United States “ior the purpose of negotiating
friendly relations between that Government
and the t Confederat6 States of America, and for
tho settlement of all questions of disagree
ment between ’the two Governments upon
principles of right, justice, equity, and good
faith.’’
It pleasure as well as my duty, to
co-operate wit!: you in this work of peace.—
Indeed, in my address to you on taking the
.oath of olul’e, and before receiving from you
The communication of this resolution, I had
said, •'•J'!" a necessity, not a choice, we have
resorted to*« < ron>cdy of separation, and hence
forth our energies must be directed to the con
duct of our own affairs and the perpetuity
of tho Confederacy which we have formed.
If a just, perception of mutual interest shall
permit us peaceably to pursue Our separate
political career, my most earnest desire will
have been fulfilled.”
It was in furtherance of these accordant
views of tlie Congress and the Executive that
I ma le choice of three discreet, able and dis
tinguished citizens, who repaired to Wash
ington. Aided by their cordial co-operation
and that of the Secretary of State, every effort
compatible with the self-respect and dignity
of the Coni 'leracy was exhausted before I
ailowe 1 myself t yield to the conviction that
the government of the United States was de
termined to attempt the conquest of this peo
ple, an ! that our cherished hopes of peace
we r e una 11 ai n able.
On the arrival of our Commissioners in
Washington, on the fifth of March, they post
pone I, at tb.e suggestion of a friendly interme
diary, doing in u’e than giving informal notice
of th ir arrival. This was done with a view
to afford time to the President who had just
D on inaugurated, for the discharge of other
pressing official duties in the organization of
his administration, before engaging his at
tention in the object of their mission. It
wa" not until the twelfth of the month that
hey off daily addressed the Secretary ofState,
inf ii u.ing him of the purposes of their arrival,
and statin ’, in tho language of tlioir instruc
tii : s, tlicii wish “ to make to the Government
oft! 0 Unit; 1 States overture? for the open
b," •>!' neg tiations. assuring the Government
of tie Unit 'd States, that the President, Con
and People of the Confederate States,
r r! . "Dy desire a peaceful solution of these
gn at que-tion- ; that it is neither their inter
est n r their wish to make any demand which
is ii' t f ur le i o:> stri"lest justice, nor do any
act t > injure their late confcderatee.”
11! sc" iiinuni'ation no formal reply Was
r bed ut ’ll the eighth of April. During
the interval, the U mmi-simers had consented
. v. .it Ml quo. i i.s of form. With the
;1: m- Ivp t > avoid v.ar, if po.vfible, they
went :-o far even as to hold, during that long
.. in. ■' I mtercourse through an in
i' ;-i: 'd: ry, who.-': high position and charac
: r inspired d.e hope of miccess, and through
wl. tn ■ 1. tot a -urances were received from
• IT", erun.i iit of the Unite 1 States of peace
fii v of the determination to evac-
1: • I it S uiiter : and further, that no meas-
■ ure- cha, zing the existing status prejudicial
ly to the C -ni i’lerate States, especially at Fort
I'i' ken ;, was .n contemplation ; but that, in
‘1 • event of any change of intention on the
subject, notice would be given to the Commis-
I cioners. The crooked paths of diplomacy
can s arc .-ly furnish an example so wanting
; in courtesy, in candor, and directness, as was
the course of the United States Government
! t ward our Commissioners in Washington.—
For proof of this I refer you to the annexed
documents marked . taken in connection
with further facts which I now proceed to
relate:
NO. 17.
